Nazareth – Big Dogz (2011)

Nazareth is back with the 22nd (gasp!) effort Big Dogz, and their first since 2008’s excellent, The Newz.

It blows my mind that Nazareth has been rockin’ since 1968. Dan McCafferty and company proves there is plenty of fire left in this awesome rock n’ roll band.

The Big Dogz that are Nazareth start howling right out of the gate with the song, “Big Dogs Gonna Howl”. This rocker gets better every time I listen to it. (It sounds great when blasted loudly on a car stereo I might add.)

McCafferty’s whiskey stained vocals really drive home the tune “No Mean Monster”. This is the type of rockin’ tune I have grown to expect from Nazareth over the years.

“When Jesus Comes to Save the World Again” starts off as a slow acoustic number that wouldn’t sound out-of-place in your local coffee shop. The song eventually breaks into a hard as nails number that eventually reverts back to its acoustic beginning. This a well written tune, and a an enjoyable listen in my opinion.

I would expect that my favorites off of Big Dogz would be one of the heavier numbers, but I absolutely love the song “Radio”. ‘Radio” is a very catchy mid-tempo number that could be an honest hit for Nazareth, if the boneheaded DJ’s of radio today still played their songs.

“Time and Tide” and its main lyric “Where does the time go” makes a lot of sense for a band that has been rocking as long as Nazareth. The older we get, the years just seem to disappear faster and faster. That lyric can pretty much apply to anyone at anytime, and it certainly makes you think, each time you hear it. I can just picture Dan McCafferty and Pete Agnew sitting around with a cocktail in their hands, reminiscing about the good old days .

“The Toast” is a fun, upbeat rocker, with a tongue in cheek ending, that is worth a lot of repeat plays.

“Butterfly” is a sad, but memorable piano based number that tells the tale of a lost loved one. It is a real tear-jerker, but a very powerful and emotional tune. This is song is one of the highlights of Big Dogz.

Big Dogz ends in an a great fashion with the upbeat rocker “Sleeptalker”. This is an infectious number that could easily become a fan favorite.

Overall, I have found Big Dogz to be an enjoyable record. It isn’t perfect by any means, and if you are expecting a repeat of Hair of the Dog, or No Mean City, you won’t find it here. If you are a Nazareth fan, and you enjoyed the band’s comeback effort, The Newz, you ought to check out Big Dogz. I think you will enjoy it!

Big Dogz was released on May 10th, and is available for purchase now! For more information on Nazareth, please check out the band’s website.